For one dog with ties to Lakeland University, Thanksgiving doesn’t end in November. It’s a year-round affair.
Terri Luecke, Lakeland University’s Assistant to the Office of Academic Affairs, is learning about gratitude and joy from an expert, her dog, Maizie Mae.
Maizie, a white lapdog with hints of grey and tan on her floppy ears, is a 4-year-old Shih Tzu Bichon. “She’s soft and fluffy, and she likes to cuddle,” Luecke said. She lives with Luecke and her boyfriend on a five-acre wooded property near Kiel, Wis., where she enjoys chasing squirrels.
Luecke says that Maizie teaches her to be grateful for nature: “She just reminds me that it’s nice to enjoy nature and being outside and picking up sticks and raking up leaves and all that stuff that dogs just love to do.”
Maizie also adores seeing Luecke’s children, all in their twenties, when they visit. Kamy, Luecke’s youngest, a senior at Edgewood University in Madison, Wis., is Maizie’s “absolute favorite,” Luecke said. Maizie even accompanies Luecke to Kamy’s soccer games.
“I will say, ‘Are you ready to see Sissy?’ And I’ll take her off the leash, and I’ll say, ‘Okay, you can go.’ And it’s like she’s running the hundred-yard dash over across the field.” After Maizie smells all the players, Kamy will call her. Luecke says that Maizie “jumps on [Kamy’s] lap, and she gives her a million kisses.”
The first time Maizie climbed into Kamy’s lap was also the day she became part of Luecke’s family.
Before Maizie, Luecke’s only pet-owning experience was a hamster she shared with her sister as a kid. Along with her family, she also dog-sat a half-dozen canines in her neighborhood. “We loved having the dogs over so much that it was time to get our own.” So, she saved her dog-sitting money to get a Shih Tzu Bichon puppy from Foxwood Kennels in De Pere, Wis.
Maizie and her sisters were born on Nov. 19, 2021. Luecke and Kamy went to visit the puppies. At first, Luecke thought she had chosen one of Maizie’s sisters, but, as she recalled, “Kamy said, ‘No, Mom, we will wait to see who plays the most. That’s the one we’re going to pick.’ And Little Miss Maizie Mae came over and climbed right on Kamy’s lap, and she said, ‘This is the one we’re going to take home.’”
A couple months later, in February 2022, they did just that, and Maizie found her home and name. Luecke picked “Maizie,” years ago when she worked at Bemis Manufacturing. A colleague’s daughter had the name, and Luecke decided that it would be perfect for her future dog. Originally, Maizie’s fur color featured more grey, tan and black, but it faded over time into a shiny white, and she grew into her name, which means “pearl.”
Maizie is indeed a precious gem to her family. She has a special connection with Kamy and shows her gratitude for her role in bringing her home. During the stress of academics and soccer, Maizie provides Kamy with mental health support and an understanding presence.
Maizie also spends time with her dog-sitters, Luecke’s sister and teenage nieces. “They just absolutely love her. In fact, I asked my sister, ‘How long would you like to keep her this last time?’ And her answer was ‘Forever! LOL.’” Luecke’s parents also dog-sit Maizie for a couple hours. She said, “[Maizie] knows exactly where we’re going when we get on the road. She starts crying in happiness knowing that we’re getting close to Grandma and Papa’s house.”
Luecke’s two sons “absolutely love her,” and when they visit, “she gives them a million kisses.”
One more family member is Luecke’s boyfriend’s golden retriever, Lily Mae, who is now 10 years old. Luecke said that when they met, “we thought it was pretty great that both of our animals’ names were both ‘Mae’ in the middle. It was actually kind of fate.”
Maizie Mae and Lily Mae adore playing together, and Maizie’s enthusiasm helps keep Lily young.
Maizie’s gratitude for home, family and friends is contagious. The effect spreads to Luecke, who deeply appreciates the impact Maizie Mae has had.
“She just brings such joy to our family.”